Change is hard and nobody likes it but change still happens. And, while it can be painful, it is usually for the best. In that spirit, I am happy to announce a positive change: Specht Newspapers, Inc. has named Randy Brown as executive vice president and regional general manager.
His new role will see Specht Newspapers, the owners of BIZ., take a regional approach with a local focus to provide readers and advertisers the reach they need to be informed and successful.
Bringing Randy in as executive vice president of Specht Newspapers was the easiest of the decisions we had to make. Randy brings more than 20 years of media experience to the position, all within Specht Newspapers. He not only understands our mission, culture, and goals, he is committed to them.
Randy most recently served as publisher of the Bossier Press-Tribune since 2014 and has acted as the advertising manager of BIZ. since its inception. Randy comes from a family-owned business and has treated the Bossier Press-Tribune and BIZ. as his own. He will bring that high level of commitment and ownership to the regional management of these companies.
Randy says: “What a remarkable and unbelievable journey this has been. With the help of great team members and support staff through the years, we have experienced some tremendous successes and there is so much more that we have yet to accomplish. My new leadership role at Specht Newspapers is a tremendous responsibility that I will take very seriously but could not be more excited about. Our entire team will work hard each day with an attitude of excellence and a heartfelt desire to bring Bossier, Caddo, and Webster Parish the news and information it expects and deserves.”
This change comes as we have launched new digital products in our Minden and Bossier City locations. Couple that with the reach and response of the company’s printed publications, and it positions Specht Newspapers to serve all of its communities for the foreseeable future.
This change will see Minden Press-Herald Publisher Joshua Specht stay on as editor while simultaneously working to develop new business opportunities. He is optimistic about the change and how it will help grow Specht Newspapers for the future.
Simply put, Josh stepping down as publisher and becoming more of a layout overseer will give him the benefit of focusing on helping the company to expand and grow.
So, what about me? Well, I am happy to say that I will remain as president of Specht Newspapers. I, and the rest of the Specht family, will continue to be actively involved in business operations, both remotely and in-person.
If the business community’s response to the pandemic taught us anything, it is that there is no such thing as “business as usual”. At Specht Newspapers, we have faced the reality that things cannot go back to the way they were in the past, but that doesn’t mean, however, that things cannot improve for the future.
Over the past two years, we have reorganized and reworked our processes, allowing more remote working, and utilizing technology to serve our readers, advertisers, along with our community and business partners.
Now we are poised to “grow forward” with regionalized leadership, while maintaining a local focus.
We look forward to having you grow with us.
David A. Specht Jr. is publisher and editor of BIZ. and President of Specht Newspapers, Inc.
